


Gravitate

by hazel333



Series: Always [2]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentions of past temporary character death, Pining Nanase Haruka, Reincarnation, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 13:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16788049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazel333/pseuds/hazel333
Summary: Haru has a huge crush on the cute guy in his literature class. Though they've never even talked before, there's just something about the man that draws Haru to him, something almost...familiar...Part 2 of a Reincarnation AU set in the modern world





	Gravitate

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the 2018 MakoHaru Flash Bang! My partner was @lunchmoney-lance, and you can find their beautiful piece here: http://lunchmoney-lance.tumblr.com/post/180662880118/for-the-makoharubigbang-this-piece-is-for

"You're going to do it."

"I'm going to do it."

"Tonight."

"Tonight."

"Right now."

"Right-wait a min-"

"No time! You're going to miss him! Go go go!" Rin pushed Haru out of their dorm and into the common area. Rin dashed back to their dorms before Haru could stop him.

Haru sighed, sitting down on one of the couches. He pulled out his phone, but it was dead. Having nothing better to do, he stared at the blank screen. Minutes passed, then voices echoed through the hall. Haru tightened the grip on his phone as three students neared him. "Goodnight, Rei! Nagisa!"

Haru glared at his phone, tuning out whatever the other two said. The man walked passed him. Haru opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The man disappeared around the corner.

He let a few minutes go by before he stood. Haru walked back to his and Rin's dorm. Rin greeted him eagerly, but Haru shook his head.

Rin sighed. "Haru, how much longer are you going to pine over this guy?! You need to do something! It's becoming painful to watch you, and you have the facial expressions of a rock."

Haru shot him a glare. "Sousuke," was all he said. Rin turned bright red and stormed away.

This wasn't the first time Haru had tried, and failed, to talk to the handsome green-eyed man from his literature class. Haru had been crushing on the man since the beginning of the year. Spring finals were nearing, and if he didn't make a move soon, he might lose his chance for good.

Haru wasn't sure how he felt about that.

On one hand, being in a relationship was a lot of effort, effort Haru wasn't keen on making. However, there was something about the brunette that attracted Haru, and not just because the boy was drop-dead gorgeous. There was something...familiar about him. Haru had never met the man before walking into class on the first day, and this feeling was driving him crazy.

But it wasn't a terrible feeling.

* * *

Rin had packed all of Haru's stuff and placed it outside of their dorm. The red-head had stated that Haru's stuff was staying there until Haru came back with either a rejection or a boyfriend.

So Haru was now standing awkwardly inside of Starbucks, waiting in line. He hated coffee, but his crush was a few people in front of him.

_Makoto_.

Haru frowned. Where did that come from? He pulled out his phone to text Rin.

"What's the name on the order?"

"Makoto."

Haru's head jerked up. Time slowed as his mind whirled. Blue eyes met green ones, and Haru's heart skipped a beat.

Someone bumped into him, snapping Haru out of his reverie. He whipped around and ran out of the building, heart pounding.

Rin pounced in him as soon as he returned. "So?" Rin demanded as Haru slammed the door behind him.

"Makoto..."

"You got a name! WOOHOooo..." Rin trailed off as he noticed the look on his best friend's face. "Hey, man. Are you okay?"

Haru looked down at his hands, which were shaking. "I..."

_How did I know his name?_

* * *

Finals came and went. Haru had somehow survived, and so had Rin. On top of it all, Rin's crush had finally asked him out. Haru had officially abandoned their dorm, tired of walking in on make-out sessions. He was staying at his cousin's apartment. Though Ikuya had a boyfriend, he was kind enough to give Haru a heads-up whenever Hiyori was coming over.

Haru had tried to push Makoto out of his mind, and finals had made that fairly easy. With that distraction now gone, Haru was having a hard time keeping the green-eyed boy off of his mind.

Resigning to being unable to fall back asleep, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. He grabbed his jacket and quietly left Ikuya's apartment, careful not to wake his cousin. He started towards the beach, with the moon’s reflection twinkling across the water.

The ocean always called to Haru, but today the pull was stronger than usual. Once he reached the sand, Haru abandoned his shoes. He walked along the water, watching the waves splash onto the shore. Normally, he would have immediately stripped and jumped into the water, but today he was content to watch.

There was only one other person on beach. Haru ignored them until he was adjacent to them. He stopped, and his heart skipped a beat.

Green eyes widened in surprise.

" _Haruka…_ "

Warmth shot through Haru, and there was something at the back of his mind: tugging, pulling. There was something he should know; there was something he was missing-

"How do you know my name?”

Makoto smiled gently. "We've met before, a long time ago."

Haru frowned. "No, we haven't." He watched as Makoto’s face fell. "But I knew your name. Before I heard it. How...how did I know your name? How do I know _you?_ What's going on?!"

Makoto stretched a hand out. "Haru, it's alright. Calm down, please."

It shouldn't have calmed him.

It shouldn't have.

But it did.

"Everything is going to be alright."

Haru felt like he had been electrocuted. "But it wasn't. It wasn't alright. Something went wrong and I can't remember-"

Haru stopped his angry ramble as Makoto suddenly pulled him into a hug. Haru's heart rate slowed, and he felt safe.

_We march at dawn._

_I have no intentions of leaving you, Haruka._

_Take care of Hiyori._

_Cousin! Stop this, please!_

_Marry me._

_Always._

Haru pulled back, tears streaming down his face. "I...you...we..."

Makoto smiled gently at him. He brushed a stray hair behind Haru's ear. "Do you remember?"

"I was an _emperor_." Haru spat the word, hating even the thought.

Makoto chuckled. "You were a good ruler. You don't miss it?"

"Too much work."

This made Makoto laugh harder, and he threw his head back. Haru felt his heart beat a little faster. The past was still fuzzy, but he knew enough to trust the feelings of affection that were threatening to overwhelm him.

After Makoto caught his breath, he gave Haru a dazzling smile that stopped the shorter man's heart; Haru lowered his head and stared at Makoto's chest. He felt Makoto's chuckle rumble through him. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Haru was surprised to find that it was true. There had always been a part of him that felt missing, and he had never even realized it until he had found it. "I'm...happy." Haru felt like grinning. He felt like running around, dancing, jumping in the air. It scared him. These feelings were so out of character for his stoic nature, and he wasn’t entirely sure how to react.

When Haru looked up, Makoto was staring at him with an awed expression. There were tears forming in his eyes. "Haru..." Makoto jerked Haru forward and squeezed him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Makoto...can't...breathe..."

"Ah! Sorry, Haru!"

As Makoto released him and stepped back, Haru was brought back to modern times. "Ikuya and Hiyori are here, too. They're still together, but I don't think they remember. Probably for the best."

"...Ikuya and Hiyori?' Makoto tilted his head in confusion.

"You don't remember then?"

Makoto gave a him a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his neck. "I only remember things about you."

Haru's cheeks reddened. He glanced at the ocean before surging forward. He slammed his lips against Makoto's, and the other made a noise of surprise. Memories of swirling blue and green lights, a familiar energy that escaped him, danced in the back of his mind. He pushed them away, content to be in the present.

They parted slowly.

"Marry me."

"Always."

Blue eyes stared into green eyes, until Haru abruptly turned around. He held onto Makoto's hand and pulled him along.

"H-Haru? Where are we going?"

"To tell Rin."

"Who's Rin? And what are we telling him?"

"Rin is my best friend. And our engagement."

"WHAT. You were serious?"

Haru merely shot him a glare over his shoulder that said _of course I was serious_ , before continuing his march back to his old dorm.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Btw, I'm @hazelcathair on Tumblr. My Tumblr is pretty much a mess since I'm not really sure what I'm doing lol, but it's there!


End file.
